Torabhaig 7 Years Old LiSo (Living Souls)

Torabhaig is the newest distillery on the Isle of Skye, opened in 2017 by Mossburn Distillers as the island's second after Talisker, in a restored farmstead at Teangue on Sleat. This is an independent bottling of the distillery's heavily peated single malt, released by Living Souls.

Matured seven years in Bourbon oak from heavily peated spirit, it was bottled at a natural 51.5 percent, a touch gentler than many cask strength Torabhaig releases, without chill filtration or added colour. The distillery tempers its smoke so it sits in balance. The distillery's barley is malted by Crisp at Port Gordon, the peating done over Aberdeenshire peat that lends a woody, cigar ash edge to the smoke.

On the palate a coastal peat smoke meets lemon, vanilla and a struck flint minerality, fresh and approachable at this strength, with a long, gently smoky finish. An independent single cask of Skye's young second distillery, easy to sip yet full of coastal character. At just over fifty percent it sits a little gentler than many cask strength Torabhaig releases, easy to enjoy neat. Even young, the spirit shows the poise that has made Torabhaig a name to watch among the island distilleries.